Automated currency processors or bank note processing machines are common in the fields of bulk currency processing and are typically used by central banks, large commercial banks, print works, cash in transit, or other entities that require processing of large amounts of currency.
In operation, bank notes that require processing are fed into the automated currency processing machine by a feeder. The term “bank note” (or “note”) as used herein may generally include bills of different currencies, checks, or other instruments that are typically processed by a banking entity. The bank notes then travel down a conveyor past a number of detector modules which detect various characteristics of the bank note. For instance, the detector modules may determine denomination, authenticity, bank note condition, or other desired characteristics of a bank note. Based on the characteristics detected, the bank note may then be routed to a number of different pockets for collation or destruction. These pockets may enable the automated currency processing machine to sort notes by fitness level, denomination, origin, authentication, or other desired characteristics.
In traditional currency processors, bank notes that are routed into pockets for collation are banded into stacks of a certain number of bank notes (e.g., 100 bank notes). After such collection and banding, the stacks of bank notes can be removed from the currency processor and later combined with additional stacks to form larger bundles of bank notes for transportation, storage, and other processes. The initial stacks of bank notes produced using the currency processor are generally inefficient for transporting bank notes over large distances.